East Bay Newbie looking for the best place to take a lesson. I am reaching out as I am completely new. I read that BoardSports was good, but would like peoples opinions on the different schools. I am willing to travel a little ways for a great place.

check out Wind Over Water at wowkite.com too. Also the schools in the Delta (not sure their web addresses . . .Kitopia? Edge kiteboarding?) are supposed to be pretty good as well. kitewindsurf in Alameda also. I've heard good things about all of them, so I'd check out the ones that interest you, meet the instructor and see who you fit with the best.

hey guys...
i'm new here too, but i have some experience already, means that i'm doing wakeboarding since 1.5 years and i went kiteboarding on the beach in denmark 5-7 times, so i know how to control a board and how to control a kite, now i just have to combine both of them together...
everybody whom i spoke with said that i defenetly should take a course/lesson first so now i have the money to do it...

so here's my questionfor you guys

i don't know if i shall take the private, 3 hour 1 to 1 lesson with jetski support with kitewindsurf.com

or shall i take the 2x 3 hour 3 to 1 group lesson with boardsportsschool.com

???
both are around 300$ and i just want to have some water lessons, so i can learn how to bodydrag and do waterstarts with the kite...
i feel like that a 1 to 1 lesson seems better, because you have the jetski which can take you out to the wind and help you, instead of walking all the way a the crown beach by yourself when you're dragged too much down the beach, and it's 1 on 1 and not 3- 2 on 1...
but its only 3 hours and not 2 times 3 hours....

so what would you guys recoomend?
i would love to do it THIS weekend, so it would be nice if you could reply asap....

Hello Mike, Can you elaborate on what you did 5-7 times in Denmark? Did you fly a small trainer kite? How about a small 4 line inflatable? Have you taken a land lesson yet? It is important to understand the theory and learn about safety before heading off to a water lesson.

I would agree with Adamrod above, check out the different places and talk to the instructors before you spend the $$$$.

That is what I did when I took the lessons ultimately by Boardsportsschool in Alameda in middle of June! Since I also had taking some lessons (3) before in Florida some time back in 2003, this would be very similar like what you Mike would be looking for, I decided to take the 2 times 3 hour lesson at boardsportsschool because of the below items!.

*Jane and Rebecca are very patient, calm, and confidence builders really; overall great kite boarding teachers. The main goal of the lessons and knowledge shared was independence! Thus when you get out by yourself, you have the knowledge and feel 100% comfortable without the "supervisor" there, to correct you when something happens.

* Second is for sure the location, Alameda with is long sandy beach which is located "mostly downwind" and the fact that the water- when the tide is up - is not to deep. Thus you can basically stand up quite far in the bay away from the beach, this boosts your confidence drastically as well as helps greatly in not having to swim to keep your head above water...thus extending your sessions and able to "cheat" in flying the kite with your feet on solid ground, reorganizing you board and setup to get riding...

* Third was the use of a helmet with 2-way radio feedback! Awesome! you are getting instruction what to do- at least you hear what you should be doing- yet you are out there by yourself. Boosting you confidence...and ultimately teaching independence in controlling you kite and boarding skills.

* Yes all the kite boarding gear used was new and in great working order. It was wonderful to use the C-shaped kites as well as the newer bow shaped kites. Being able to check out and fly different
type kites and basically find out for yourself the pluses and minuses helped greatly in making a purchasing decision after the lessons are over.

Tim.

Boardsportsschool in Alameda got me kite boarding again, highly recommended to anyone considering to learn how to kite in the bay area![font=Arial] [/font]

i've talked with both schools quickly on the phone, and the kitewindsurf sounded a little bit more friendly, don't know...
but what i'll probably do is to drive out to alameda on saturday myself and check both of them in person to have a look...

mayhem: i did the same thing as jim is doing on his avatar picture
i did it with a trainer kite as well as with a full big kite, because on of the last times, there was a kiteweek and we could test all the new stuff for free, with depower kites, bars and stuff.. was nice...

Hello Mike, I'm a PASA Level II instructor. We recommend our students to get very familiar with the flying characteristics of the trainer kite so much so that they can fly the kite with their eyes shut before heading off to the water.

Come by Crissy Fields this weekend, there is a huge kiting event going on!!